A long-term survival case of hepatocellular carcinoma with bone metastasis and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus successfully treated with multidisciplinary therapy

A 54-year-old man was diagnosed as hepatitis B in 1987 and observed. In January 2007, he was detected a 7 cm mass in the posterior segment of the liver with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (Vv3), a 4.5 cm mass and multiple small nodules in the liver by computed tomography. Moreover, his right pubic bone has solitary small osteolytic change in x-ray and abnormal up take on bone scintigram. We diagnosed it having a highly advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bone metastasis. We started to treat with multidisciplinary therapy. We performed Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) twice for intrahepatic lesions and radiotherapy for bone metastasis. Interferon-α and S-1 combination therapy were performed for three months. A new lesion in the liver was appeared advanced slowly 16 months after the last TACE, and caused to increase PIVKA-II. He received TACE for this lesion. Three years after the diagnosis, and he is alive in good condition without a new extrahepatic metastasis. This case suggests that some patients with highly progressive HCC involving inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (W3) and bone metastasis can gain a long-term survival by multidisciplinary therapy including TACE and Interferon-α and S-1.